Biker chefs hit the road again – but now TV takes back seat

Simon King and David Myers, have just started a 45 date tour which will take in Wakefield, Sheffield, Harrogate and York.

As well as giving food demonstrations the northern pair will recount tales of their various global trips for the BBC2 programmes The Hairy Bikers Cookbook, The Hairy Bikers Ride Again, The Hairy Bikers Come Home and The Hairy Bakers, and Mum Knows Best.

Si and Dave admit they were quite late developers when it came to cooking for television. They met on the set of a Catherine Cookson film where Si was in production and Dave was doing the make-up.

"We got together over a curry during filming and just really hit it off," explains Si. "We had a really good laugh and realised that we were both great foodies and motorbike fanatics."

They came up with the idea of a programme which would follow them across different countries as they learned about different cultures through their food.

"We hadn't really planned to do any cooking but it just seemed to develop," says father-of-three Si.

Their love for exotic cuisine has taken them across many countries including southern India, Turkey, Argentina, Romania and Mexico.

They have also travelled Great Britain looking at regional food in The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain and they are now travelling the country again, but this time on stage.

"We are used to doing live demonstrations, but not this type of thing," says Si.

The show itself is not only about cooking but is packed full of different creative and narrative threads about the boys, their adventures and their personal experiences.

As well as getting the chance to view their TV screen test, the audience will also be able to experience the boys' flair for comedy.

Audience members will have plenty of chances to participate in the evening's entertainment and will get the opportunity to see a three-course meal prepared in 15 minutes.

While cooking is their first love, both the boys have had success out of the kitchen. Dave won BBC's Celebrity Mastermind, and Si took second place in BBC2's The Weakest Link.

Si says he does miss his partner and three children while he's away, particularly his nine-year-old son Dylan who doesn't like him to go away.

Although the pair have travelled the globe there are still places Si would like to visit, such as "Japan, interior of China, Sumatra, Spice Islands, Australia, New Zealand."

That sounds like a new series to me.

Hairy Bikers Tour dates: February 17, Theatre Royal, Wakefield, tel. 01924 211 311; February 18, Sheffield City Hall, 01442 789789; March 5, York Opera House, 0844 847 2322; March 31, Harrogate Theatre, tel. 01423 502116.